PART 2

“I shall name it the “Tin Ravager Ex”, for explosions.”

Mark stood before his patched-together mecha creation.

His eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and delight as he examined the amalgamation of the salvaged Tin Ravager I and Tin Ravager II.

To him, it represented the way his life was now working in its own patched up way, at least at his eyes.

And it showed as the Titan Armor bore the scars of its hasty assembly.

It had black seams that seemed too thin in the joints and armored parts that appeared bulky.

Its appearance was further accentuated by the red faded paintwork, splashed here and there like battle scars that showed its age.

However, to Mark’s eyes, it was perfect.

“Look at this beauty, Cat!”

Mark's voice rang with unrestrained excitement as he swept his arm towards the patched-together mecha.

“A fusion of the old and the new, a testament to my creativity!”

Catherine, by his side, offered a supportive smile.

She had grown accustomed to Mark's eccentricities and his way of fixing up things that often resulted in a peculiar, if not outright ugly, machine in the last days.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Yet, she had also learned to appreciate the genius within his madness, and the Tin Ravager Ex was a clear example of that.

“It’s amazing.”

To her, beauty was secondary, and the Armor ability to protect them was primordial.

Meanwhile, amidst Mark and Catherine’s moment, the team of mechanics observed the mecha with a mix of admiration and concern.

The chief engineer, Marthus, couldn't help but voice his apprehensions.

His brow furrowed with concern as he scrutinized the Tin Ravager Ex.

“Mister, Mark, it's a remarkable creation, no doubt. But we're worried about its energy efficiency. Those mismatched components might cause some instability.”

Mark, never one to be easily deterred, waved off their concerns with a confident grin.

“Ah, don't worry about the little details, my friends. We'll make it work! This baby is a Markel killer. Efficiency is overrated, anyway!"

Seeing Mark’s satisfaction, the mechanics exchanged skeptical glances but remained diligent in their preparations for the impending battle.

Despite their reservations, they couldn't deny the infectious optimism that Mark brought to their team.

The Tin Ravager Ex might not have been conventional, but it was a symbol of hope in their thorn-filled path.

But suddenly, the cheerfulness was shattered by the urgent beep of Marthus's communicator.

He looked down, his face paling with fright, as he read the message that had just come through.

“I hope so, mister.”

He paused, trying to calm his pounding heart.

“Because we just got word that the Markels are staging a counterattack, and they need the leader at the command center.”

Catherine had her eyebrows rise at that information, before forming a resolute expression.

She turned to look at Mark, but he was already a few steps into the path leading out of the spaceport.

“Let’s go Cat. It’s time for you to shine again.”

Catherine didn't hesitate, a determined smile on her face as she hastened her steps to keep up with him.

“Yes. I’m not going to allow them to walk over us ever again.”